The socio-professional category (CSP) is a tool developed by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) that groups households according to the socio-professional characteristics of the head of household, without taking into account the situation of other household members. This classification comprises eight classes and has replaced the concept of CSP with that of PCS (professions and socio-professional categories) since 1982.

The CSP is a statistical tool developed by INSEE to analyze market structure by grouping households according to common socio-professional characteristics such as activity and occupation. It should not be confused with the Professional Security Contract (CSP).

Defining a CSP involves four steps: the individual’s occupation, the required qualifications, legal status, and, for employees, hierarchical position, or for the self-employed, the size of the business. This classification can be used in a segmentation strategy.

Market segmentation involves dividing customers into different target groups to refine marketing strategies. The eight main categories of employees are farmers, craftspeople, shopkeepers and business owners, managers and professionals, intermediate professions, employees, skilled workers, unskilled and specialized workers, and the unemployed. These categories are defined according to each individual’s salary and category.

The term CSP+ is used to designate higher socio-professional categories, implying higher purchasing power than average. Since the revision of the classification system in 1982, the acronym PCS has replaced CSP to represent the occupations and socio-professional categories of the head of household. A distinction is made between PCS-